Street Lights of the Future Will Be Powered by the Sun and Wind

Those humming orange lights that illuminate your city streets typically rely on High Pressure Sodium bulbs (HPS) — cheaper and longer lasting than other conventional options, sure, but not exactly energy efficient. No worries though, they may soon be obsolete thanks to these LED street lamps powered by the sun and wind.

The Eco-Pole is a freestanding lamp post that uses a 60W LED light rated for 50,000 hours of use. Instead of drawing power from the public grid, it relies on a combination of dual 90W solar cells and a 300W micro-wind turbine for energy. The process is completely self-contained and uses just a fraction of the energy conventional lights need — usually 250W and up — while producing zero emissions and requiring very little upkeep.

The best part? While HPS bulbs only shine in a narrow band of the visible spectrum — which is why they have that orange tint — these LED's output white light (6500K band) and provide clearer, more uniform street lighting. That's better for pedestrians and motorists alike. [SavWatt via MarketWire via Treehugger]